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.358 Norma Magnum

23153 Views 38 Replies 25 Participants Last post by  Brandt
i've taken an interest in this now defunct cartridge. my grandpa used to have mauser-based rifle chambered in this caliber. the man and the gun are long gone but last time i was out at the farm i found about 2 dozen cases. a friend suggested re-chambering a lever-action .35 rem. for this cartridge.is this possible? any help or info would be greatly welcomed.
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Well I suspose it's possible, but not a very good idea.

The C.O.L. of the Norma Mag is probably too long to function through the Marlin (I'm guessing) action.

You'd be limited to using flat nosed bullets which are designed for tube magazine fed lever guns.

The twist in most 35 Remingtons is supose to be 1 in 16 inches (I just read that, there's no way I'd know it otherwise :)), and that would probably be a bit slow for the norma mag.

I do like the cartridge though, just not in this application.
No.

The operationg pressure of the two cartridges is vastly different. The Marlin won't take the pressure of the 350 Norma Mag..

"Maybe" a BLR or a 1895(?) might, but not the Marlin.
Not only is the COL way too long; 3.72" vs 2.525", the Norma is designed to operate at pressures way beyond what the Marlin can handle. Way beyond.
.358 Norma Mag in a BLR!

Daveinthebush I like the idea about a BLR re-barreled from .300 Win Mag to the .358 Norma Mag. I think that this would be the only way to get a .358 Norma Mag in a Lever Gun as the 1895 Marlin is basically a modified 336 action and is designed to handle the same kind of pressure (I think the MAX is around 40,000).

Still, a BLR in .358 NM would be a great project. :money:
:grin: i was talking with my great uncle and he told me that my grandfather's rifle was an interarms Mk x. how available are these, andwhat would the damage to the bank account be? and it was the marlin 336 i was thinking of. i like the blr suggestion, but it would cost a hefty chunk of change. does anyone still make dies for the .358 NM :sniper:
Just started

I just started a rebarrel job in that cal!!!! I have 4- 35 Whelens 2 of them on Mauser 98 actions. I ordered a 26" Adams and Bennett Bbl. from Midway. and will order the reamer as soon as I finish the bolt face.
Bieng that I am CHEAP, I'm going to use 338 Win Mag cases, and open them up. RCBS makes dies as does redding. RCBS $108 ---- REDDING $46 From MIDSOUTH. :-D
Advocate

DLH: Four .35 Whelens? Is that all? Is that the best you can do?
BLR in .35 Whelen

Since they already make it is 30/06 I emailed them and asked how hard it would be to make one in .35 Whelen. NO answer. Lets see... they have the right action for the job, .35 caliber barrels......seems like it would not take much to do except a chamber reamer in .35 Whelen.

I would buy one in a second!
I like

I like the 35!! I have 2 in Mausers, 1 in a Remington 7400, & 1 in a Thompson Encore PISTOL!!!! Thompson's custom shop FOXRIDGE OUTFITTERS made it, and BLACK MESA ported it. It was a real handfull before it was ported!! Still takes 2 hands now or it dents the forehead! I haven't killed anything with it, just paper. but you should see the range officer face when he see what you are stuffing in that gun!!!! :D :D :D
DLH: I have a military mauser I would like to "Whelenize" but it is too short. Are all of your mausers commercial, or did you have then altered for the '06 length .35 Whelen rounds?
NOPE!!!

Both are Military, 1 CZ24 the other is German, both are 98s.
The actions are long enough for 30/06 so they are long enough for the 35 Whelen. both cases are 63mm long ( the orignal 8mm is 57 mm) all 3 cartridges mentioned here have a rim size of .473" so no modification is needed to the bolt face. I can't speak for the small ring mausers i.e. 95s 96s, but the 98 action is perfect for the whelen!!! :-D
Never shot one myself, but on paper it really tickles my fancy. About the same energy as factory 375 H&H, and better downrange w/ same bullet weight. It's on my "Top 10" to be sure.
Don't think I'd go to alot of trouble to find a gun for a couple dozen cases, though; they aren't anywhere near valuable. Norma sells them still I believe, and they can be made with Win Mag cases.
Dies are around $100, right somebody?
Just bought a set of REDDING dies for the 358 NM from MIDSOUTH for $48 something/ about a month ago!!
blr

AA, as far as I know the BLR, is factory chambered for the 300Win Mag. O>
cruise the gun auctions and you are likely to find an affordable 358 Norma. I see them now and then. Now that Nosler makes some good partitions and Barnes makes some X bullets the 358 Norma has bullets worthy of its power. Other premium makes are out there too.

Daveinthebush - I'm with you. Ever snce they came out with BLRs in the 06 family, I've long wondered why Browning didn't make the BLR in 35 Whelen. I read they plan to make a few in 358 win this year or next. I'd think they'd be better off going to 35 Whelen.
i have ateacher who is gonig to teach a bit of gunsmithing and who will build me .358 for a low price provided i obtain the basic action and help him with it. i was thinking ether a P-17 or a spanish mauser
well, almost 6 years later i finally have one, a custom built on 1903 Springfield, Douglas Premium barrel, and a rather nice boyds stock. i can't help but chuckle when i look at my original post of using a 336 to build one. my knowledge and experiance has come a long way since then.... ;D
I have had one for the last 20 years. It is a rebarreled Ruger 77, that was a 7 mag. The 358 Norma is not complicated to deal with. 338 Win Mag brass necked up and fireformed with cheap 357 pistol bullets work fine. The case is a little short, but after a couple of full power handloads, the case length is just fine. I have used 180-225gr bullets. Powders I have used are 4064, 4895, and 4350. Of course the 4350 is with the 225 gr bullets. Get a chronograph and work up watching for pressure signs. You will find most 358 Norma data on the mild side. I starting using an old Speer Manual and the data there was on the hot side for my gun.

I would suggest rebarreling like I did. I think this would be the best bang for the buck. My gun is very accurate. It shoots 180 gr pistol bullets real well at 100yds. I have used my gun for nilgai, bear, caribou, elk, and deer. Love mine.
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